WRPG745

It has become apparent to me that I will be learning for the rest of my life. That's one of the things I really like about two-way-radio. 👍

I'm still learning all the sciency stuff about how weather and such effect radio waves...but last night it was an overcast evening and I was able to hit the repeater just fine. So, some cloud cover helps. 🤷🏼‍♂️
Either way, I'm learning, and that's what matters most to me.

Welcome to myGMRS.com.
In one sense GMRS is quite simple, yet you can take it to quite an extreme. And some people do.
Your budget will determine a lot about what kind of radios you buy.
I would start with a couple of HTs to get your feet wet.
GMRS is in the UHF band so don't expect to get the distances you hear by hams doing HF. Trees, terrain, etc. will affect your distance. It could be anywhere from 1/2 mile to 50 miles or more. Do your own testing in your area of operation to find out what's real for you.
"Privacy Tones" aren't private. Others can still hear you, you just can't hear them unless they transmit with the same tone.
Repeaters typically use tones to operate.
These are just some basics to help you get started.
@OffRoaderX has some good videos to help you get started.
As you come up with more specific questions, feel free to ask.
Also, you can do a search to find questions that have already been answered.
73
Edit:
I forgot to mention, @marcspaz did a real good video on intro to GMRS.

I don't know. I think there are some reviews on YouTube on the topic. I would also do some research on-line to see if there is anything. As popular as they seem to be somebody likely has done some recent testing. 
One other place to check is the FCC site. If the radio is legally sold in the US it should, required, to have an FCC ID. Using that you can look up the grant and test reports. The grant by the way will likely just show just a certification for Part 15, not 97. The FCC's main concern is the radio is blocked from receiving cell phone frequencies.
You can do an informal, crude, test using another radio. TX on 146.0MHz on the test radio. Then using a second radio some short distance away tuned for 438.0MHz, that's the third harmonic, and see if you can pick up a signal.  If you can you likely have a problem. If not the radio "might" be acceptably clean, at least on VHF. It's no guarantee it's OK on UHF however.
Dual band radios typically have two transmit "chains", power amp stages and filters, for each band. Both need to be checked. 
You can try the same kind of test on UHF but you'll likely will need a scanner that can tune up around 1.2GHz to 1.5GHz to catch the third harmonic.
Your final option is try at a local Ham Radio club. Somebody there might have a spectrum analyzer, I have a model in mind on my wish list to get sooner or later, or access to one. You can see if a test of your radio can be arranged. I'm sure you won't be the first person in a club who wants to know if their cheap radio meets FCC emission limits.
 

Honestly... I (mostly) agree with you.  100+ years ago, we didn't need permission from the government to grow food, fish, use a radio, etc.  What was once considered our Rights have somehow evolved into us having permission to do things on a free-range human tax farm.  The ATF/BATFE is a great example.  Machine guns, short barrel rifles and suppressors are "dangerous and unusual"... but if you pay your tax, all of a sudden everything is fine.  The whole concept is ridiculous. 
 
I feel like much of our government suffers from the same hypocrisy, with agencies like the FCC being almost as bad as the ATF, when it comes to rule making.  The problem is, as part of living in a polite, civilized society, we have all agreed to live by these rules. 
 
If there are rules missing or rules we don't like, the people (at least in theory these days) have the ability to change those rules by petitioning the government.  However, with very limited exception, if there are rules we don't like, we have agreed to live by them until the rule changes or is repealed.
 
So, with that said, I provided you with fact about why things are the way they are.  I don't necessarily agree with all of it due to a common moral compass that many of us share.  However, that same moral compass guides me toward typically following the rules we all agreed to follow and not publicly condoning ignoring those rules.
 
I share this at the risk of sounding too political, because I hope this helps you understand where I am coming from.  And while I obviously can't speak for others, I have a funny feeling that many people who are protesting using non-compliant radios or FCC rule violations, likely feel darn close to what I do, if not the same.

I don’t think you have turned on us, but you have gotten to the point where you have expressed a disregard for the regulations and it’s clear you don’t understand (or even want to understand) why they exist. 
There are four sets of frequencies in GMRS. The requirements for bandwidth and RF power (and how measured) vary considerably with some of the frequencies (interstitial) wedged tightly in between others from other sets.
You claim the right to transmit on these frequencies with whatever radio you want to use, but you don’t know what you don’t know. 
So, that’s kind of off-putting to people who are trying to help you learn. 

I would hesitate to say the rules make zero sense. Most of them make a lot of sense. The FCC has the daunting task of allocating a finite RF spectrum across an ever-growing array of multiple entities, from government all the way to personal users, including military, medical, commercial, broadcast radio and TV, amateur radio, railroads, aircraft, anything that uses RF to communicate. GMRS and FRS is a tiny portion of that. One of the gray areas of the GMRS and FRS rules is channels 8-14, because logically-speaking, the narrowband and half-watt restrictions make them effectively FRS-radio-only channels unless you have a GMRS radio that will transmit on a half a watt narrowband. So go ahead, use a half a watt narrowband on channels 8-14 with your GMRS radio and don't ID. The catch there is that I don't think you have an FCC-certified radio that will transmit on a half a watt narrowband. The FCC discontinued certifying combination GMRS/FRS radios about seven years ago. I don't claim to have the specifications on every GMRS-certified radio on the market, so it's up to you to find an FCC-certified GMRS radio that will do a half a watt narrowband. That being said, your unlocked FT-65 might be able to do it. And since you've made it clear that you would rather not get caught up in the rules, you're free to talk to your sovereign citizen friends on a half a watt on whatever radio suits your fancy.

It's hard to find good help these days.

Use the equipment regularly.

That way you will understand what works and doesn't work.

Watch videos/research on questions that may arise as you use the gear. Rinse and repeat.

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

thanks I’ll check it out. I wound up tuning it and it came out SWR 1.2 I put it on a stand outside my house just to try it out and apparently it works. Great people are now hearing me and I was only using a GMRS Pro HT.

First, there is a common understanding in the world that we should only use as much power as we need. So, how much do you need for your reliable communications? 
 
Second, there is a common misconception the you have to quadruple your power to make a usable difference. However, the reality is, on any given instant you never know how much or how little more power will really make the difference between getting your message out or not.
 
Last, in my opinion, you can never have too much love, money or power. 

It's using a directional antenna. Unless you are in the path, you will have trouble with it.

If it were me, I'd change the Tx power to high...

If you're talking about legally like hands free laws, then you would need to check your local laws to see if a radio needs to be hard-mounted with a microphone.  If you're talking about power-wise, I often use an HT with a mag mount and that 5 watts does fine with my local repeaters that are 5,000 feet up and 15-20 miles away.

Depending on your truck, you might use a magnet mounted Tram or Nagoya. you will also probably need an adapter for your radio (depending on the connector on the antenna cable).
There are vehicle specific mounts (what truck make/model/year do you have?) and options for front hood, rear stake body or 3rd brake light. if you have an aluminum body or for instance you have racks and such. Or just hate the idea of putting a magnet on the paint.
Long term, you may need to drill a hole somewhere to run cable for a permanent installation.
I get great coverage using a Tram 1180, fender mounted, cable running through the firewall. It's driver side front mounted. All in I think I spent about $110 because I used a firewall boot and a stainless steel mount. YMMV

If it were me, I'd change the Tx power to high...

If it were me, I'd change the Tx power to high...

That won't work. You need to be outside the car or use an outside antenna connected to the radio. RF can barely get out of the car. You lose most of your transmit power. 

I would just like to point out that one need not be "a programmer" to setup a UV-5R radio. Investing a few minutes reading some online articles or watching Youtube videos is all you need to learn how to 'program' your radio.  You can even do it all by hand, right on the keypad, no computer necessary.
Virtually everyone here learned to do it ourselves, and we all have faith that you can too - We believe in you!

Hi Red Horse,
If your radio entry point is some level of "prepping", you might start with a few questions to help flesh out what works for you:
Who are you looking to listen to? You can listen to anyone with the right scanner or shortwave radio. Who will you talk to? How far away are they? How do you do this now? Text messaging can work when circuits are busy or in weak signal areas. What are the most likely disaster scenarios in your area? In my area, wind and rain events (severe thunderstorms, tornados, and hurricanes) are most likely to affect us. Are you more concerned with natural disasters that take "the grid down" or are you envisioning "man-made" issues or TEOTWAWKI? How much effort will you put into getting trained, licensed and proficient? For me, my primary radio use is to run around outside (hike, kayak, fish, etc.) as well as I'm interested with technology. I use GMRS with my family (they have no interest in getting licensed for ham). Prepping is a secondary use for me. I have a Technicians license and am considering purchasing a HF rig and at some point upgrading to a General license. 
For disasters, I will get information from AM/FM radio, text messages from our county services, local ARES nets, and conversations with GMRS users. My family is anywhere from 90 to 800 miles from me. For disaster planning, we don't have a full PACE plan but we will use: phone, email, and text messaging.
Radios for us will have only local tactical use. Honestly, I'm more concerned with access to drinking water and heat.
I think GMRS will likely give you the best local coms for the cost and effort, but it all depends!

If you are an audiophile or a geek Amateur Radio operator, you will be saddened to know that today the world has become a worse place. My acquaintance and fellow member of The Friendly Bunch Amateur Radio Club lost his battle with cancer.  My heart hurts a little today.
For those to don't know him, he was an amazing friend to the radio community.  He was very generous with his time, always making the effort to talk to people he met on the radio or on the streets.  He loved music and was a brilliant engineer.  I'm blessed to have known him for the past 4+ years.
From his employees...
Today we say goodbye to our beloved founder, Dr. Bob Heil. Bob fought a valiant, year-long battle with cancer, and passed peacefully surrounded by his family. Bob’s impact on professional and live sound cannot be overstated. Driven by a lifelong passion for sound, Bob’s pioneering work revolutionized how concertgoers experienced live sound. Bob created and developed numerous pro sound innovations and products over the years, some of which are preserved in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. In 2007, Bob was the recipient of the Audio Innovator Parnelli Award, recognizing his outstanding influence on the live sound industry. Countless artists, creators, broadcasters, podcasters, sound engineers, and sound professionals worldwide continue to be impacted by Bob’s work. While Bob’s presence will dearly be missed, we are immensely proud and happy to honor and carry on his legacy. #bobheil #heilsound #heilmicrophones #livesound #prosound

 
 
A snip from Wiki...
Bob Heil (October 5, 1940 – February 28, 2024) was an American sound and radio engineer most well known for creating the template for modern rock sound systems. He founded the company Heil Sound in 1966, which went on to create unique touring sound systems for bands such as The Grateful Dead and The Who. He invented the Heil Talk Box in 1973, which was frequently used by musicians such as Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh and Richie Sambora, and is still in use today.
Heil has been an innovator in the field of amateur radio, manufacturing microphones and satellite dishes for broadcasters and live sound engineers. In the late 1980s Heil Sound became one of the first American companies to create and install home theaters, and Heil has lectured at major electronic conventions and taught classes at various institutions.
He has won multiple awards and honors, and in 2007 he was invited to exhibit at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
 
Godspeed. You will be missed.
 

Yeah one of these days I will get a nicer radio - but I’m having so much fun with these cheap ones.  Ended up buying a uv17 pro GPS (not here yet) gm-15, and most recently,  quansheng uvk6 which upgraded the firmware to egzumer.  Now that is a fun toy to play with!  
 
you are right though - I’m pretty sure all the sub-$80 radios are pretty much the same.  
 
thanks for the recommendations and I’ll check them out.  

The Baofeng/B-Tech radios are fine and they do work well enough. One of the issues with them is the sensitivity of their receivers, they will pick up all kinds of signals and noise. They are also easily overloaded by other radios in close proximity (1/2 mile or less).
I own Baofeng and Wouxun HT's. The Wouxun radios are better in the following things:
 less susceptible to overload and noise clearer audio on transmit and receive better reception with the stock antenna Both brands will reach out the same distances.
Generally superheterodyne receivers are better than system on a chip receivers. But this is not always the case. My Icom IC-T10 HT is SOC and is just as good if not better than my Wouxun HT's. The Quality of components matters too.

If only GMRS ops would adopt trendier-looking traffic vests and hard hats, they would get a bigger response 
🤣😄😂